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    CHAPTER 299COMPULSORY EDUCATIONReferred to in 135.105D, 232C.4, 234.4, 256.9, 256B.6, 274.3, 299A.1, 714.19
    299.1Attendance requirements attendance policies.
    299.1ACompulsory attendance age.
    299.1BFailure to attend driver’s license.
    299.1CCounty attorney.
    299.1DAbsences related to courses in religious instruction.
    299.2Exceptions.
    299.3Reports from accredited nonpublic schools.
    299.4Reports as to private instruction.
    299.5Proof of mental or physical condition.
    299.5AMediation. Repealed by 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §21.
    299.6Violations community service or fine or imprisonment.
    299.6ACivil penalty — distribution of funds.
    299.7Custody of records.
    299.8“Truant” defined.
    299.9Truants — rules for punishment.
    299.10Truancy officers — appointment.
    299.11Duties of truancy officer.
    299.12Failure to attend.
    299.13Civil enforcement.
    299.14Reserved.
    299.15Reports by school officers and employees.
    299.16Failure to attend — report. Repealed by 2009 Acts, ch 54, §14.
    299.17Reserved.
    299.18Education of certain children who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind, or have severe disabilities.
    299.19Proceeding against parent.
    299.20Order.
    299.21Contempt.
    299.22When deaf or hard of hearing and blind children excused.
    299.23Agent of state board of regents.
    299.24Religious groups exempted from school standards.
    299.1Attendance requirements attendance policies.1.  Except as provided in section 299.2, the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of a child who is of compulsory attendance age shall cause the child to attend some public school or an accredited nonpublic school, or place the child under competent private instruction or independent private instruction in accordance with the provisions of chapter 299A, during a school year, as defined under section 279.10.2.a.  The board of directors of a public school district or the governing body of an accredited nonpublic school shall set the number of days or hours of required attendance for the schools under its control.b.  The board of directors of a public school district or the governing body of an accredited nonpublic school may, by resolution, require attendance for the entire time when the schools are in session in any school year.3.  The board of directors of a public school district shall adopt a policy related to absenteeism and truancy. The policy may contain attendance requirements that are more stringent than the attendance requirements established under this chapter.4.a.  The board of directors of a public school district shall adopt a policy or rules relating to children who are chronically absent. The policy or rules must contain provisions that clearly explain all of the following:(1)  How the board of directors determines whether a child is chronically absent.(2)  The different interventions that the board of directors may use when a child is chronically absent.(3)  The different penalties associated with a child being chronically absent.b.  The policy or rules adopted by the board of directors of a public school district pursuant to paragraph “a” must not apply to any child:(1)  Who has completed the requirements for graduation in a public school district or has obtained a high school equivalency diploma under chapter 259A.(2)  Who is excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge.(3)  While attending religious services or receiving religious instructions.(4)  Who is unable to attend school due to legitimate medical reasons.(5)  Who has an individualized education program that affects the child’s attendance.(6)  Who has a plan under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, that affects the child’s attendance.(7)  Who is a military applicant undergoing military entrance processing.(8)  Who is engaged in military service.(9)  Who is traveling to attend a funeral.(10)  Who is traveling to attend a wedding.(11)  While attending a course in religious instruction pursuant to section 299.1D.c.  The policy or rules adopted by the board of directors of a public school district pursuant to paragraph “a” must describe how the exceptions described in paragraph “b” may be met by a child and must give reasonable consideration to travel time.[S13, §2823-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4410; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.1]83 Acts, ch 17, §2, 4, 85 Acts, ch 6, §3, 88 Acts, ch 1087, §2, 88 Acts, ch 1259, §2, 3, 89 Acts, ch 265, §41, 91 Acts, ch 200, §3, 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §50, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §83, 85, 91, 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §14, 2025 Acts, ch 52, §2, 3, 2025 Acts, ch 143, §1Referred to in 234.4, 279.10, 299.1D, 299.2, 299.6, 299.8, 299.11, 299A.1, 321.178A
    See Code editor’s note on simple harmonization at the beginning of this Code volume
    Subsection 4, paragraph b, NEW subparagraphs (7) – (11)
    Subsection 4, NEW paragraph c
    299.1ACompulsory attendance age.1.  Except as provided in subsections 2 and 3, a child who has reached the age of six and is under sixteen years of age by September 15 is of compulsory attendance age. However, if a child enrolled in a school district or accredited nonpublic school reaches the age of sixteen on or after September 15, the child remains of compulsory age until the end of the regular school calendar.2.  A child who has reached the age of five by September 15 and who is enrolled in a school district shall be considered to be of compulsory attendance age unless the parent or guardian of the child notifies the school district in writing of the parent’s or guardian’s intent to remove the child from enrollment in the school district.3.  A child who has reached the age of four by September 15 and who is enrolled in the statewide preschool program under chapter 256C shall be considered to be of compulsory attendance age unless the parent or guardian of the child submits written notice to the school district implementing the program of the parent’s or guardian’s intent to remove the child from enrollment in the preschool program.91 Acts, ch 200, §4, 2001 Acts, ch 110, §1, 2012 Acts, ch 1119, §40, 2013 Acts, ch 78, §2, 3Referred to in 256C.3, 299.6, 299.11, 299A.1299.1BFailure to attend driver’s license.A person who is of compulsory attendance age who does not meet the requirements for an exception under section 299.2, who does not attend a public school or an accredited nonpublic school, who is not receiving competent private instruction or independent private instruction in accordance with the provisions of chapter 299A, and who does not attend an alternative school or adult education classes, shall not receive an intermediate or full driver’s license until age eighteen.94 Acts, ch 1172, §32, 2005 Acts, ch 8, §1, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §92Referred to in 299.6, 299.11, 299A.1, 321.213B
    Restricted work license, see §321.178
    299.1CCounty attorney.The county attorney of the county in which the public school’s or accredited nonpublic school’s central administrative office is located shall be responsible for the enforcement of this chapter, as described in this chapter. Actions instituted by a county attorney pursuant to this chapter shall be instituted in the county in which the public school’s or accredited nonpublic school’s central administrative office is located.2024 Acts, ch 1152, §15Referred to in 299.6, 299.11, 299A.1299.1DAbsences related to courses in religious instruction.1.  Section 299.1 shall not apply to a child while the child is attending a course in religious instruction that is provided by a private organization if all of the following requirements are satisfied:a.  The child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of the child, if the child is not an emancipated minor, or the child, if the child is an emancipated minor, must submit a notification to the public school or accredited nonpublic school informing the school that the child will attend a course in religious instruction during the school day.b.  The course in religious instruction must not require the child to be absent from school for more than five hours per week.c.  The private organization that provides the course in religious instruction must maintain attendance records and must make the attendance records available to the school district or accredited nonpublic school to verify when the child is attending a course in religious instruction.d.  Transportation related to the course in religious instruction must be provided by the private organization, the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, or the child.e.  The private organization must make provisions for and assume liability for the child while the child is attending the course in religious instruction.f.  The school district or accredited nonpublic school must not expend any moneys related to the course in religious instruction, not including de minimis administrative costs associated with processing notifications received under paragraph “a” and tracking the child’s attendance to ensure compliance with this section.g.  The course in religious instruction must not be held on school district property unless authorized by the board of directors of the school district pursuant to section 297.9.h.  The child must agree to make up any school work that the child does not complete while attending the course in religious instruction.2.  Each school district and each accredited nonpublic school shall, upon the request of a child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, if the child is not an emancipated minor, or the child, if the child is an emancipated minor, excuse the child from attendance for at least one hour per week, but for not more than five hours per week, so that the child can attend a course in religious instruction if all of the requirements under subsection 1 are satisfied.3.  A child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of the child, if the child is not an emancipated minor, or the child, if the child is an emancipated minor, who alleges that a school district has violated this section may bring a civil action for injunctive relief and actual damages against the school district. If the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, or the child, is the prevailing party in a civil action instituted pursuant to this subsection, the court shall award reasonable court costs and attorney fees to the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, or the child, as applicable.2025 Acts, ch 143, §2, 2025 Acts, ch 159, §13Referred to in 299.1, 299.2, 299.6, 299.11, 299.12, 299A.1
    NEW section
    299.2Exceptions.Section 299.1 shall not apply to any child:1.  Who has completed the requirements for graduation in an accredited school or has obtained a high school equivalency diploma under chapter 259A.2.  Who is excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge.3.  While attending religious services or receiving religious instructions.4.  Who is attending a private college preparatory school accredited or probationally accredited under section 256.11, subsection 13.5.  Who has been excused under section 299.22.6.  Who is exempted under section 299.24.7.  While attending a course in religious instruction pursuant to section 299.1D.[S13, §2823-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4411; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.2]1986 Acts, ch 1245, §1490; 1991 Acts, ch 200, §52025 Acts, ch 143, §3Referred to in 299.1, 299.1B, 299.6, 299.8, 299.11, 299A.1, 321.178
    NEW subsection 7
    299.3Reports from accredited nonpublic schools.Within ten days from receipt of notice from the secretary of the school district within which an accredited nonpublic school is conducted, the principal of the accredited nonpublic school shall, once during each school year, and at any time when requested in individual cases, furnish to the secretary of the public school district, within which the accredited nonpublic school is located, a certificate and report in duplicate on forms provided by the public school district of the names and ages of each pupil of the accredited nonpublic school who is of compulsory attendance age and the grade level of each pupil, during the preceding year and from the time of the last preceding report to the time at which a report is required. In addition, the report shall identify all students of compulsory attendance age who were truant as defined by law or school policy and the number of days of truancy for the period covered by the report, and children who dropped out, withdrew from enrollment, or transferred to another Iowa school and the date their attendance ceased at the accredited nonpublic school. The secretary shall retain one of the reports and file the other with the secretary of the area education agency.[S13, §2823-b; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4412; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.3]1991 Acts, ch 200, §6; 1993 Acts, ch 101, §207Referred to in 299.6, 299.11, 299A.1299.4Reports as to private instruction.1.  The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child who is of compulsory attendance age, who places the child under competent private instruction under section 299A.2, not in an accredited school or a home school assistance program operated by a school district or accredited nonpublic school, shall furnish a report in duplicate on forms provided by the public school district, to the district by September 1 of the school year in which the child will be under competent private instruction. The secretary shall retain and file one copy and forward the other copy to the district’s area education agency. The report shall state the name and age of the child, the period of time during which the child has been or will be under competent private instruction for the year, an outline of the course of study, texts used, and the name and address of the instructor. The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child, who is placing the child under competent private instruction for the first time, shall also provide the district with evidence that the child has had the immunizations required under section 139A.8, and, if the child is elementary school age, a blood lead test in accordance with section 135.105D. The term “outline of course of study” shall include subjects covered, lesson plans, and time spent on the areas of study.2.  A home school assistance program operated by a school district or accredited nonpublic school shall furnish a report on forms provided by the department. The report shall, at a minimum, state the name and age of the child and the period of time during the school year in which the child has been or will be under competent private instruction by the home school assistance program.[S13, §2823-b; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4413; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.4]88 Acts, ch 1259, §4, 91 Acts, ch 200, §7, 92 Acts, ch 1135, §9, 2000 Acts, ch 1066, §45, 2007 Acts, ch 79, §4, 2008 Acts, ch 1191, §110, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §84 – 86Referred to in 299.6, 299.11, 299A.1, 299A.3299.5Proof of mental or physical condition.The parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of a child who is of compulsory attendance age, who is physically or mentally unable to attend school, or whose presence in school would be injurious to the health of other pupils, shall furnish proofs by certificate under sections 256B.6 and 256B.7 as to the physical or mental condition of the child.[S13, §2823-b; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4414; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.5]1988 Acts, ch 1259, §5; 1991 Acts, ch 200, §8Referred to in 282.3, 299.6, 299.11, 299.22299.5AMediation.Repealed by 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §21.299.6Violations community service or fine or imprisonment.1.  Any person who violates the terms of an absenteeism prevention plan entered into under section 299.12, who is referred for prosecution under section 299.12 and is convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of sections 299.1 through 299.5, who violates any of the provisions of sections 299.1 through 299.5, or who refuses to participate in a school engagement meeting under section 299.12, commits a public offense.a.  A first offense is a simple misdemeanor and a conviction is punishable by imprisonment not exceeding ten days or a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars. The court may order the person to perform not more than forty hours of unpaid community service instead of any fine or imprisonment. b.  A second offense is a serious misdemeanor and a conviction is punishable by imprisonment not exceeding twenty days or a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or both a fine and imprisonment. The court may order the person to perform unpaid community service instead of any fine or imprisonment.c.  A third or subsequent offense is a serious misdemeanor and a conviction is punishable by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days or a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or both a fine and imprisonment. The court may order the person to perform unpaid community service instead of any fine or imprisonment.2.  If community service is imposed as part of a sentencing order, the court may require that part or all of the service be performed for a public school district or nonpublic school if the court finds that service in the school is appropriate under the circumstances.3.  If a parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of a child who is truant, has made reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of sections 299.1 through 299.5, but is unable to cause the child to attend school, the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian may file an affidavit listing the reasonable efforts made by the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian to cause the child’s attendance and the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian shall not be criminally liable for the child’s nonattendance.[S13, §2823-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4415; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.6]88 Acts, ch 1259, §6, 91 Acts, ch 200, §10, 97 Acts, ch 174, §3, 2004 Acts, ch 1043, §5, 2013 Acts, ch 90, §73, 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §16Referred to in 299.6A, 299.12, 299A.1299.6ACivil penalty — distribution of funds.1.  In lieu of a criminal proceeding under section 299.6, a county attorney may bring a civil action against a parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of a child who is of compulsory attendance age, has not completed educational requirements, and is truant, if the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian has failed to cause the child to attend a public school or an accredited nonpublic school, or to place the child under competent private instruction or independent private instruction in the manner provided in this chapter. If the court finds that the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian has failed to cause the child to attend as required in this section, the court shall assess a civil penalty of not less than one hundred but not more than one thousand dollars for each violation established.2.  Funds received from civil penalties assessed pursuant to this section shall be paid to the school district of residence or school district of enrollment, if open enrolled, of the person against whom the court assessed the penalty. The school district shall use moneys received under this subsection to support programs for students who meet the definition of at-risk children adopted by the department of education.97 Acts, ch 174, §4, 2004 Acts, ch 1043, §6, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §93, 2014 Acts, ch 1092, §63299.7Custody of records.All such certificates, reports, and proofs shall be filed and preserved in the office of the secretary of the school corporation as a part of the records of the office, and the secretary shall furnish certified copies thereof to any person requesting the same.[S13, §2823-b, -c; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4416; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.7]299.8“Truant” defined.Any child of compulsory attendance age, to whom the exceptions described in section 299.1, subsection 4, paragraph “b”, or section 299.2 do not apply, who has been absent from school, for any reason, for at least twenty percent of the days or hours in the grading period, shall be deemed to be a truant. A finding that a child is truant, however, shall not by itself mean that the child is a child in need of assistance within the meaning of chapter 232 and shall not be the sole basis for a child in need of assistance petition.[S13, §2823-e; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4417; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.8]91 Acts, ch 200, §11, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §94, 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §17Referred to in 282.18299.9Truants — rules for punishment.The board of directors of a public school district or the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school shall prescribe reasonable rules for the punishment of truants.[S13, §2823-d, -h; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4418; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.9]1991 Acts, ch 200, §12299.10Truancy officers — appointment.1.  The board of each school district may appoint a truancy officer. The board of each school district, which does not appoint a truancy officer for the district, shall designate a suitable person to collect information on the numbers of children in the district who are truant.2.  The board may appoint a member of the police force, marshal, teacher, school official, or other suitable person to serve as the district truancy officer.[S13, §2823-e; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4419; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.10]91 Acts, ch 200, §13, 2021 Acts, ch 76, §150299.11Duties of truancy officer.1.  The truancy officer may take into custody without warrant any apparently truant child and place the child in the charge of the school principal, or the principal’s designee, designated by the board of directors of the school district in which the child resides, or in the charge of any nonpublic school or any authority providing competent private instruction or independent private instruction as defined in section 299A.1, designated by the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian; but if it is other than a public school, the instruction and maintenance of the child shall be without expense to the school district. If a child is taken into custody under this section, the truancy officer shall make every reasonable attempt to immediately notify the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of the child’s location.2.  The truancy officer shall promptly institute proceedings against any person violating any of the provisions of sections 299.1 through 299.5.[S13, §2823-e, -f; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4420; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.11]91 Acts, ch 200, §14, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §95, 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §18299.12Failure to attend.1.Definitions.As used in this section:a.  “Chronically absent” means any absence from school for more than ten percent of the days or hours in the grading period established by a public school; provided, however, that an absence from school that is related to attending a course in religious instruction pursuant to section 299.1D shall not count toward this amount.b.  “School official” means an employee of a public school whose job duties involve identifying children who are at risk for becoming chronically absent, creating interventions to limit the rate of student absenteeism, and participating in the legal process related to student absenteeism.2.Chronic absenteeism.a.  When a child becomes chronically absent, a school official shall send a notice by ordinary mail or electronic mail to the county attorney of the county in which the public school’s central administrative office is located, and a notice to the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of the child, if the child is not an emancipated minor, or to the child, if the child is an emancipated minor, that includes information related to the child’s absences from school and the policies and disciplinary processes associated with additional absences. The notice the school official sends to the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of the child, if the child is not an emancipated minor, or to the child, if the child is an emancipated minor, may be sent by ordinary mail, electronic mail, or electronic message, or may be delivered in person. The school shall maintain a copy of the notice until the child graduates, turns twenty-one years of age, or is no longer enrolled in the school, whichever occurs first.b.  A school official may send the notice described in paragraph “a” prior to a child at risk of becoming chronically absent if all of the following requirements are satisfied:(1)  The county attorney of the county in which the public school’s central administrative office is located and the board of directors of the public school agree to the amount of absences that will lead to the school official sending the notice.(2)  The amount of absences that will lead to the school official sending the notice is described in the school’s student handbook.3.School engagement meeting.a.(1)  If a child is absent from school for greater than or equal to fifteen percent of the days or hours in the grading period, a school official shall attempt to find the cause for the child’s absences. If the school official determines that the child’s absences are negatively affecting the child’s academic progress, the school official shall initiate and participate in a school engagement meeting. The purpose of the school engagement meeting is to identify the child’s barriers to attendance and the interventions that may be used to improve the child’s attendance.(2)  A school official may initiate and participate in a school engagement meeting as provided in subparagraph (1) prior to a child being absent from school for greater than or equal to fifteen percent of the days or hours in a school calendar.b.  All of the following individuals shall participate in the school engagement meeting:(1)  The child.(2)  The child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, if the child is not an emancipated minor.(3)  A school official.c.(1)  During the school engagement meeting, the participants shall create and sign an agreement that shall be known as an absenteeism prevention plan. Each participant signing the absenteeism prevention plan shall receive a copy of the plan. The absenteeism prevention plan shall identify the causes of the child’s absences and the future responsibilities of each participant related to the child’s attendance.(2)  A school official shall monitor the participants’ compliance with the terms of the absenteeism prevention plan. The school official shall contact the participants at least once each week during the remainder of the school calendar to monitor the performance of the participants under the plan.d.  During the school engagement meeting, the participants may initiate referrals to any services or counseling that the participants believe may be appropriate under the circumstances to improve the child’s attendance.e.  If the participants in the school engagement meeting fail to enter into an absenteeism prevention plan, or if the child or the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian violates a term of the absenteeism prevention plan or fails to participate in the school engagement meeting, the county attorney may initiate a proceeding under section 299.6.f.  This subsection is not applicable to a child who is receiving competent private instruction or independent private instruction in accordance with the requirements of chapter 299A.97 Acts, ch 41, §32, 97 Acts, ch 174, §5, 7, 2004 Acts, ch 1043, §7, 8, 10, 2013 Acts, ch 121, §96, 2024 Acts, ch 1152, §19, 2025 Acts, ch 52, §4, 5, 2025 Acts, ch 143, §4Referred to in 299.6, 299.13
    Subsection 1, paragraph a amended
    Subsection 2, paragraph a amended
    Subsection 3, paragraph a, subparagraph (1) amended
    299.13Civil enforcement.A person shall not disseminate or redisseminate information shared with the person pursuant to section 299.12, unless specifically authorized to do so by section 217.30 or 299.12. Unless a prohibited dissemination or redissemination of information is subject to injunction or sanction under other state or federal law, an action for judicial enforcement may be brought in accordance with this section. An aggrieved person, the attorney general, or a county attorney may seek judicial enforcement of the requirements of this section in an action brought against the public school or accredited nonpublic school or any other person who has been granted access to information pursuant to section 299.12. Suits to enforce this section shall be brought in the district court for the county in which the information was disseminated or redisseminated. Upon a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that a person has violated this section, the court shall issue an injunction punishable by civil contempt ordering the person in violation of this section to comply with the requirements of, and to refrain from any violations of, section 299.12 with respect to the dissemination or redissemination of information shared with the person pursuant to section 299.12.1997 Acts, ch 174, §6; 2004 Acts, ch 1043, §92024 Acts, ch 1152, §20299.14  Reserved.299.15Reports by school officers and employees.All school officers and employees shall promptly report to the secretary of the school corporation any violations of the truancy law of which they have knowledge, and the secretary shall inform the president of the board of directors who shall, if necessary, call a meeting of the board to take such action thereon as the facts justify.[S13, §2823-g; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4424; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.15]299.16Failure to attend — report.Repealed by 2009 Acts, ch 54, §14. 299.17  Reserved.299.18Education of certain children who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind, or have severe disabilities.Children who are of compulsory attendance age and who are so deaf or hard of hearing, or blind, or have such severe disabilities so as to be unable to obtain an education in the public or accredited nonpublic schools shall be sent to the appropriate state-operated school, or shall receive appropriate special education under chapter 256B, unless exempted, and any person having such a child under the person’s control or custody shall see that the child attends the state-operated school or special education program during the scholastic year.[S13, §2718-c; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4427; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.18]91 Acts, ch 200, §16, 96 Acts, ch 1129, §76, 2020 Acts, ch 1102, §21Referred to in 299.19, 299.20299.19Proceeding against parent.Upon the failure of a person having the custody and control of a child who is blind, deaf or hard of hearing, or has severe disabilities to require the child’s attendance as provided in section 299.18, the state board of regents may make application to the district court or the juvenile court of the county in which the person resides for an order requiring the person to compel the attendance of the child at the proper state-operated school.[S13, §2718-d, -e; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4428; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.19]91 Acts, ch 200, §17, 96 Acts, ch 1129, §77, 2020 Acts, ch 1102, §22Referred to in 299.20299.20Order.Upon the filing of the application mentioned in section 299.19, the time of hearing shall be determined by the juvenile court or the district court. If, upon hearing, the court determines that the person required to appear has the custody and control of a child who should be required to attend a state-operated school under section 299.18, the court shall make an order requiring the person to keep the child in attendance at the state-operated school.[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4429; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.20]1991 Acts, ch 200, §18299.21Contempt.A failure to comply with the order of the court shall subject the person against whom the order is made to punishment the same as in ordinary contempt cases.[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4430; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.21]
    Contempts, chapter 665
    299.22When deaf or hard of hearing and blind children excused.Attendance at the state-operated school may be excused when the superintendent of the state-operated school certifies that an interdisciplinary staffing team has determined, pursuant to the requirements of chapter 256B, that the child is efficiently taught for the scholastic year in an accredited nonpublic or other school devoted to the instruction, by a private tutor, in the public schools, or is shown to be physically or mentally unable to attend school under section 299.5.[S13, §2718-f; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4431; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.22]91 Acts, ch 200, §19, 2020 Acts, ch 1102, §23Referred to in 299.2299.23Agent of state board of regents.The state board of regents may employ an agent to aid in the enforcement of law relative to the education of deaf or hard-of-hearing children and blind children. The agent shall seek out children who should be in attendance at the state schools but who are not, and require such attendance. The agent shall institute proceedings against persons who violate the provisions of said law. The agent shall be allowed compensation at a rate fixed by the board of regents, and necessary traveling and hotel expenses while away from home in the performance of duty.[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4432; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.23]2020 Acts, ch 1102, §24299.24Religious groups exempted from school standards.When members or representatives of a local congregation of a recognized church or religious denomination established for ten years or more within the state of Iowa prior to July 1, 1967, which professes principles or tenets that differ substantially from the objectives, goals, and philosophy of education embodied in standards set forth in section 256.11, and rules adopted in implementation thereof, file with the director of the department of education proof of the existence of such conflicting tenets or principles, together with a list of the names, ages, and post office addresses of all persons of compulsory school age desiring to be exempted from the compulsory education law and the educational standards law, whose parents or guardians are members of the congregation or religious denomination, the director, subject to the approval of the state board of education, may exempt the members of the congregation or religious denomination from compliance with any or all requirements of the compulsory education law and the educational standards law for two school years. When the exemption has once been granted, renewal of such exemptions for each succeeding school year may be conditioned by the director, with the approval of the board, upon proof of achievement in the basic skills of arithmetic, the communicative arts of reading, writing, grammar, and spelling, and an understanding of United States history, history of Iowa, and the principles of American government, by persons of compulsory school age exempted in the preceding year, which shall be determined on the basis of tests or other means of evaluation selected by the director with the approval of the state board. The testing or evaluation, if required, shall be accomplished prior to submission of the request for renewal of the exemption. Renewal requests shall be filed with the director on or before April 15 of the school year preceding the school year for which the applicants desire exemption.[C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §299.24]1985 Acts, ch 212, §21,22; 1989 Acts, ch 296, §26Referred to in 280.3, 299.2